Reach For Me
by chelseagrey
Summary: CristinaBurke. He left to save a friend and what did she do? She went after him. Chapter 3 up finally !
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Soo, this is the first chapter revised. I don't not own the awesomely awesome Grey's Anatomy and I don't own the characters and the idea is partially taken from the plot of ER and Continental Drift by Kyriana. Alternate Universe and a year after the baby died.

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Cristina sat on the couch of Burke's apartment and sipped her coffee. The silence allowed her to think as the cleanliness of the apartment reminded her of the OR. It was difficult to believe that a year ago she had lost a baby and her ability to bear children. It wasn't that Cristina didn't want to have children; it's just that she wasn't ready. Her mind wandered off into infinity as the memory of three weeks ago came back to her. The details were still fresh in her mind.

* * *

_Three weeks ago:_

_Burke felt the slick sweat beginning to cover his forehead as he fiddled with his suit pocket. The café was small, charming tosay the least. It reminded him of Alabama and his childhood, the pieces of him that Cristina had yet to discover. It was strange how they everything and nothing about each other. Burke knew that Cristina liked her showers cold, even in the dead of winter. 'It wakes me up and refreshes me.' She would always claim that he was too organized and he would look at her over the rim of his glasses claiming she was a bit too cluttered. Cristina knew that in bed, Burke would love to read 'National Geographic' and she would thumb through some medical handbook in hope of surgeries for the upcoming day._

_But he didn't know that she almost dropped out of high school to do ballet. And she doesn't know that being a cardiologist was a last resort after his mother gave the family restaurant to his older sister._

_Cristina cut through her lobster. It was after all this time that she agreed to share food with him. 'What kind of café serves lobster?' she thought to herself as she noticed a layer of sweat forming on Burke's forehead._

"_Are you okay Burke?"_

"_Yes. I'm fine."_

_They continued to eat and silence and went home shortly thereafter. _

_After carrying an exhausted Cristina to her bed, Burke sat on the adjacent chair playing with the little velvet box he had with him all evening._

_The following morning, Cristina awoke with a note gracefully placed on Burke's pillow. She rolled her eyes at his clean-cut handwriting. She would always tell him that he writes like he cuts, clean and neat._

"_C"--_

_Emergency at the hospital. See you when you begin your shift. _

_Love— "B"_

_Cristina laughed at the note. He would still use B and C after all this time. She rolled her eyes once more and out of the corner of her eye, spotted a velvet box. It was until Cristina arrived that the hospital that the impact of the box hit her._

_Burke was planning to propose but didn't. _

_The only question Cristina had now was why.

* * *

_

The rustle of keys and the click of the doorknob opening snapped Cristina back into her normal thoughts. Burke stormed into the apartment and plopped down on the couch. Cristina looked at him. This was not hisnormal behavior.

"Burke? Are you okay? Did you have an intense shift?"

"It's not that Cristina."

"Then what is it? You can tell me."

"My old college roommate during med school is dead. He went to Nepal to open a clinic and today I received a phone stating that they need me to identify the body. He lives all the way in Pātam, near Kāthmānda. I need to go Cristina. If it wasn't for this man, I wouldn't be here with you. I owe him everything."

"What did he do Burke?"

"He wrote a letter of recommendation for me to go to Seattle Grace."

"Oh."

"I'll leave my flight number for you on the counter tomorrow. I'm leavinglater tonight."

"Burke, you can't go and leave me here."

"I need to do this Cristina."

"Burke…"

"Cristina! I'm going and that's final! Nothing you can say or do will change my mind!"

It wasn't until after the words left his mouth that the impact hit him.

"Cristina… I'm sorry I…"

"I'm glad you feel like that Burke."

Cristina stood up and turned around and left leaving the key to the apartment on the counter.

Burke closed his eyes. _Now what have I done?

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_

Well there is the first chapter of the write. I decided to make the chapters shorter but add more. The second chapter will be up as soon as possible.

--way away so you can see


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: Reach for Me is actually being updated : ) I'm so happy I can finally update it. This story will get deeper into Cristina than Burke… well at least for now.

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_Previously On Reach for Me: _

"_My old college roommate during med school is dead. He went to Nepal to open a clinic and today I received a phone stating that they need me to identify the body. He lives all the way in Pātam, near Kāthmānda. I need to go Cristina. If it wasn't for this man, I wouldn't be here with you. I owe him everything."_

"_What did he do Burke?"_

"_He wrote a letter of recommendation for me to go to Seattle Grace."_

"_Oh."_

"_I'll leave my flight number for you on the counter tomorrow. I'm leavinglater tonight."_

"_Burke, you can't go and leave me here."_

"_I need to do this Cristina."_

"_Burke…"_

"_Cristina! I'm going and that's final! Nothing you can say or do will change my mind!"_

_It wasn't until after the words left his mouth that the impact hit him._

"_Cristina… I'm sorry I…"_

"_I'm glad you feel like that Burke."_

_Cristina stood up and turned around and left leaving the key to the apartment on the counter._

Now to Chapter 2:

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Cristina swirled her vodka around a few times before finishing the glass. It was only an hour ago that she had that argument with Burke and took refuge in Joe's bar. What the hell was wrong with her? She couldn't be compassionate enough for her boyfriend. Was she really that cold hearted?

Meredith walked into the bar to find her best friend sitting on the barstool with two glasses of vodka in front of her.

"Cristina?

"Meredith."

"What wrong?"

"Burke is leaving."

"What? Why?"

"He has to go help his friend in Nepal."

"Is he staying there or…"

"He's acting like the guy saved his life. 'Cristina I have to go! I owe everything to this man...'" Cristina mocked his voice before looking back at the empty glass. She glanced at Meredith in hopes that she was on her side.

"You are so lucky and you don't even see it."

"Oh right. How am I lucky? I got a boyfriend that gets mad at me for almost everything. He's Preston Burke. I'm Cristina Yang…"

"And you love him."

"Right Mer. What's wrong with you?"

"Stop changing the subject." Meredith placed her hand on the side of her forehead obviously frustrated.

"I have a boyfriend… had a boyfriend that is married, that dated me and is _still_ in love with me. But he won't admit it. His wife is smart and nice. Which makes her pretty hard to hate. Addison is living my life. You on the other hand… have Burke. I wouldn't be complaining."

"He almost proposed."

"Really?" Meredith faced temporarily brightened but then went back to its original state realizing that he didn't propose.

"I saw the box a couple weeks ago. I kept my mouth shut so I wouldn't piss him off."

"You know what you have to do now right?"

"What?"

"Go after him. Burke loves you. You love him. It's not hard to decide."

"Oh sure, you can say that."

"I mean it. I'll drive you to the airport."

"You're kidding right?"

"Come on…" Meredith grabbed Cristina by the arm and took her back to the apartment.

* * *

Cristina glared at Meredith as she rummaged through the closet for an overnight pack for Cristina.

"So where is he?"

"He probably left." Cristina noted flatly.

"Did he leave a flight itinerary?"

"Yeah… it's on the table."

Cristina walked over to the shiny glass table and picked up the small white sheet. It read:

**Flight and Transportation plans for Dr. Preston M. Burke:**

**Seattle SEA Flight 993 United Airlines Departing March 22, 2006 11:34 pm**

**Destination: Bangkok, Thailand Arrival Time: 12:52 pm (add 1 day)**

**Bangkok BKK Flight 33 Thai Airlines Departing March 24, 2006 6:45 am**

**Destination: Kathmandu, Nepal Arrival Time: 9:03 am**

**Local Transportation to Patam**

"That's it Cristina… just head him off in Bangkok."

"But…"

"Cristina… do you love him?"

"If I said no?"

"Are you packed?"

"Yeah… yeah."

Meredith hurriedly drove Cristina to the airport.

When Cristina arrived she stood in front of the check in counter with her passport and credit card.

"Meredith…"

"Go… don't do anything stupid though. Like getting yourself killed."

"Thanks for the support."

"Bye."

"Bye Mer."

As Cristina walked off into security, she didn't know that this experience was going to change her life. _Forever_.

* * *

I hope that you all enjoyed that installment. Please review to let me know your thoughts…

--hope dangles on a string with slow-spinning redemption

Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Sorrysorrysorry for making you wait! But I am attempting to complete this before the end of September.

Chapter 3: Meeting

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Preston Burke sat in the United Airlines coach section. He tapped his fingers impatiently realizing that this was going to be anything but an easy task. He had to go find a fellow surgeon and identify his body. Let the world know that he was gone forever. That in the blink of an eye, he stopped living. Burke reached for the glass of water he ordered and quickly drank it, hoping that it would keep his senses alive. Hoping that it would keep him alive. For Cristina. _Cristina_. Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. Were they over? What happened? Why had he snapped like that? Did she move out? It was all his fault. He should have been kinder. Let her know his feelings. But being the arrogant surgeon that he was, he needed to have that one outburst. But the truth was, Preston Burke _never_ lost his cool. Composure was what he did. He kept it and maintained it no matter how difficult the situation. Whether is was the bomb in the hospital or the "heart-stealing" of Denny Duquette, Preston Burke kept his composure.

"Excuse me are you using your headphones?" a man next to him tapped his shoulder.

"Oh… no," Burke handed the headphones to the man.

"Chris Nantucket," Chris held his hand out to Burke.

"Preston Burke. _Doctor_ Preston Burke," Burke smirked at this. Everytime he announced he was a doctor, it allowed him to have pride. More than usual.

"Doctor huh? So tell me doc, why ya headed to Bangkok? Wife searchin'?" Chris let a smile toy at his lips and he saw Burke swallow awkwardly.

"No… I have a girlfriend. Why are _you_ headed to Bangkok?"

"I got some unfinished business in Nepal. I'm a doctor too. There was that mass hospital murder by those rebels," Chris picked up his drink and sipped it seeing Burke shift uncomfortably. _What is with this guy?_

"Well… Chris, we're going to the same place for the same reason. What field are you in?"

"No kiddin'? I work in the ER and am damn proud of it. Mercy West has got the best around. What about you _Burke_?"

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me. Seattle Grace is _the_ best. As am I. _The_ best cardio-thurassic surgeon in Washington. Maybe the whole country." Another smirk tugged at the corners of Burke's mouth. Cristina slowly faded into the contours of his heart.

"So _you're_ the surgeon that cause one hell of a dispute over that heart. I treated that guy that the heart was taken from."

"Really?"

"Hell yeah. Like I said, Mercy's the best."

"Now wait a minute- Seattle Grace is…"

As it continued, all the way to Thailand banter between new friends about competitions and hospitals. Cristina slowly hid in the back of Burke's mind allowing him to relax for a moment. But what he didn't know was that if he didn't think of her alive now, she might not be alive later.

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Short. Yes. Bad. HELL YES. But something I just had to update. Again, I'm major rusty. Give me a break loves.

--I'm not crazy I'm just a little unwell

Unwell by Matchbox Twenty


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